Stefania

Hi, <BR>I am considering moving to Lyon for 6 months to work and improve my French. I have never been there before - only to Paris. Can you tell me something about the city - how life is, what is there to do, how the surroundings are. Any suggestion is welcome. Thanks! <BR> <BR>Stefania

Christina

You should read up a lot first if you are considering moving there. It's a nice large but not huge city, however, of about a million population. Arts are very important, I can tell you that, which I like. They have several great museums, and their ballet and opera are world-renowned; they have a fairly new opera performance hall which is architecturally cutting-edge. Also, the cuisine is well-known as very good. It's kind of a nice city as it's much smaller than Paris but still easy to get around as they do have a limited subway system, which helps, as well as bus system. It is also a very scenic city being right on a river and with a high hill on one side. In addition, its central location makes it great for visiting other parts of France, and Europe. It may not be the most exciting city, but manageable; Kent Nagano, the conductor, moved there for a few years while he was conducting their orchestra and he really liked it (but he's gone back to England now). There is tons of info online, however, that you should be reading to get a feel for the city. First, the weekly newspaper www.lyoncapitale.fr. A few other good overall sites are www.lyonguide.com, www.ec-lyon.fr and www.alyon.asso.fr/InfosLyon. If you really like the performing arts, I think you will love it, the opera's URL is www.opera-lyon.com

GEORGE

I have not been to Lyon for many years. However, I believe it is a MUCH better place to improve or learn your French. For one thing, there are very few American tourists or any tourists for that matter. Although there are not a huge amount of important sites to see, there are still the amenities of a large city such as first class restaurants (better than Paris supposedly), sporting events shopping, etc. It is also near great skiing and some neat Roman ruins. In the U.S., I would compare it with Seattle or Washington D.C. as far as size is concerned. If you go, I would live in the old, medieval, part of the city (city is divided into 3 parts -- by two rivers).

Al

Lyon has two railway stations. Come down from Station Perrache toward the main square and you will run into plenty of two-star hotels that will greet you with open arms and won't break your budget. Lyon is a great town for walking around. Be sure you make it up to the big basilica for the view over the entire city, the Roman ruins museum, and the museum of textiles (Lyon once was the center of a thriving silk-weaving industry). Great little restaurants, too, the mom-and-pop types that carry no stars but dish out great food at civilized prices. We went into one where we raved about the dessert and the owner gave us the recipe, based on old bananas and sheet gelatin. Not a lot of English-speakers around as in Paris, but plenty enough to be very helpful and welcoming. As for getting "the French experience," you are in for a treat vis-a-vis the same time spent in Paris with its hordes of tourists.

Joel

It would be helpful to know what you want in a city, your hobbies, etc. My wife and I lived about an hour and a half from Lyon for a couple of years and went there very often. We liked it as it was far easier to drive in than Paris, and things moved at a slower pace. I always found it difficult to find my way around there, though. After some reflection and from the standpoint of someone who had to learn French to survive at work, I see no reason to live in one city versus another to learn the language. And in that case, I would choose the most pleasant place I could. <BR>The pluses of Lyon are imo its proximity to the French alps and the Ardeche region which contain some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. Driving along the Rhone through wine country is great, also. Plus, since you are on the Route du Soleil (autoroute to the Riviera)you can get to Avignon, Nime, Arles, etc., very fast. Lyon also has the TGV, the high-speed train to get you to Paris in something like 1.5 hours. <BR>If you can live in the city of your choice, I would opt for something much smaller. In the Lyon region Annecy would be #1. What a lovely town on a lake! And it has a language school for foreigners that might be useful. My company has in the past sent Americans there for some weeks of immersion training. Another excellent choice would be Bourges in central France, just below Orleans. It's very charming and has a nice location, also. Third, the Loire River valley, perhaps Blois which is very, very nice, or even Tours which is not too big. A very good reason to choose the Loire region is the well-recognized view that it is the area in which French is without accent; i.e., no regional twang. At least it sounded that way to me and umpteen French co-workers who were not from the Loire said so. A final recommendation (though many may contest it) is Clermont-Ferrand where my wife and I lived. It is a charming city nestled in France's Parc National des Volcanes, a national park created around a string of extinct volcanos. It is a mountainous region that I would describe as the Vermont-New Hampshire of France. The city is quaint and is gaining popularity among European vacationers. It is the home of Michelin, but I would not call it an industrial city any more than a focal point for any other sort of activity you find in a mid-sized city. <BR>Hope I've helped. Let me know if I can help further.

Miane

Check in books and travel guides (like Fodor's!) --it will tell it all <BR>For logistics, check sites such as the Lyon tourist office and Transition Aborad www.transabroad.com.

steve

There is a good article on Lyon in the October Gourmet Magazine.